Black Women: Highly Educated, Severely Undervalued
In the past decade, black women have begun outpacing all other demographic groups in earning college degrees. Ahh, it should be refreshing to hear that we are tearing down the stereotypes of being uneducated, welfare queens. Instead, we are building up facts that we are a strong, educated group of individuals helping to drive the economy. Well, at least that’s what I hoped.
EDUCATION IS NOT OPENING AS MANY DOORS
You’d think that receiving a degree would help black women improve their quality of life. Sadly, it turns out that this is not the case. The effects of health in this group continue to plummet over time.
According to the African American Policy Institute:
“The stress of anti-Black racism and sexism, coupled with the stress of serving as the primary caretakers of their communities, can take a toll on Black women’s health. — even if they have the economic privilege to send their children to good schools, live in a wealthy neighborhood, and have a high-level career.”
AMPI, 2018
BLACK WOMEN FEEL BOXED IN
Ok, so schooling isn’t giving these women a sense of security. But I am sure opportunities at work are helping plenty of women lessen the stressors they worked so hard to overcome, right? Unfortunately, the reality is that black women actually feel a dramatic sense of pressure in the workplace.
Black women have to think about how they show up and what type of executive presence they exude. The majority of the time, changed behavior is not enough to get fair treatment in terms of pay or opportunities. This creates the added burden of representing not only themselves but ALL black women as they navigate their careers. Now, I don’t need to say how ridiculous this notion is, we are all unique as women of color. But in business, optics carry more weight than reality.
In 2017, almost 50% of black graduates reported goals to be working at an executive level. Still, there is striking evidence that no matter your experience, education level, or your intellect, challenges will stack against you. Research shows that even having a Hardvard Business Degree does not improve the odds of making it to the CEO level if you are a black employee, let alone black female. In fact, only 3.2% of executive and senior manager level employees are black, and this is including men.
Black women are pushing twice as hard only to receive fewer offers and opportunities than their white counterparts. With few opportunities for black women, there is a feeling that we can’t do anything wrong, lest we make it harder for the next person down the line.
THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT FOR BLACK WOMEN
I can say first hand after working in corporate for seven years, that the rules for being a black woman are different. You are navigating the double bias of being a woman and of a different race from the majority.
In the beginning, people are excited and curious about you. Still, over time it becomes clear that speaking up and raising our voices may be encouraged for everyone else, but can be interpreted differently. The angry black woman stereotypes still exist, but it also causes problems when you are quiet, and the assumption is you don’t have anything to contribute. Nevertheless, if you are vocal, you are an angry or emotional person.
MORE PRONE TO BURNOUT
In Jan 2020, Erika Stallings wrote the article “When Black women go from Office Pet to Office Threat.” She outlined the experience of black women in the office being cherished and infantilized until the day they decide to speak up about inconsistent behaviors and the need to set boundaries in the office. According to Gallup research, a total of 67% of employees experience some burnout throughout the year, with reasons including:
The ‘Pet to Threat’ phenomenon is something more common than one might expect. One month I moved to a new city while navigating the effects of a family accident, I was struggling to find my footing. Seeing me in a vulnerable place, my director decided to bar me from having individual meetings with him, coining me as ‘too soft’ to handle his personality. Once he stopped addressing me in meetings, he began putting his head on the table when I was speaking. Eventually, other employees on the team learned from his example that respecting me was optional.
These behaviors of ‘icing out’ or ‘benching’ black employees can contribute to the adverse mental effects associated with burnout. These condescensions and gaslighting that many black women endure, continue to add up over time and set a poor example for how junior individuals will treat others.
TURNING TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP
So what solutions are black women using to reclaim their time and emotional energy? Women are taking control of their future by pursuing new dreams outside of the corporate office to build small businesses. Researchers attribute this burst of entrepreneurial activity to both educational progress and economic necessity.
Women of color have been maintaining side hustles, and volunteered to give back in the community for a long time — but recently, many realize that it may serve them better to invest in the activity that was keeping them empowered during the challenges at work. Thirty-eight percent of black millennials say they are considering leaving their jobs to start their own company. They are no longer willing to continue the financial growth of a system that refuses to champion them.
EVERY DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE
I recall my first experience with going from ‘pet to threat.’ I thought there was no way out for me, that my degree was meaningless if I would always be the woman in the corner. I kept everything to myself, thinking there was no other option. But what I have learned over time is that many of us share a similar story. If rising the corporate ranks is your dream, please keep pushing for that! These facts are not meant to scare you, but to prepare you.
There are still many women striving for that C-Suite office, and they should. If you are in this situation, here are three things you can do to take the pressure off and help guide you to success.
Connect with other women like you
There will always be someone who has been in your shoes, in your role or shared your ambitions. Use this time to connect with them and learn from some of the struggles they had. We are all different, but this can help develop a network and a support system to fast track your success.
Don’t retaliate, but document the heck out of everything!
I have learned the hard way, that my belief that people have my best interest in mind, is nothing but naive. The corporate word breeds fear for many people, and they will do whatever it takes to protect their position. So do the same. Maintain your integrity by merely writing it down. Even if it’s small, if something feels uncomfortable, treat it like a workplace journal. Close the book after you write it, and don’t dwell on the situation.
Put your health first, always!
Money and title, blind us very quickly, especially in the age of Facebook and Instagram. I have known classmates and peers for a long time, rocking VP titles, and heading up global teams. I am so happy and will continue cheering for them, but at the end of the day, this is not a race. Sometimes burnout leaves scars, that only finding ways to express yourself can heal. We are more than our job title, and none of this will make a difference if you are not eating, sleeping, or finding time to recharge.
I have just started my journey to escape the corporate melee. Still, one thing is for sure; because of these obstacles, we have a real opportunity to clearly and boldly express what we deserve, while building each other up to go as high as we possibly can go.
Originally published at http://onlyblackgirlonmars.com on May 16, 2020.
